Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects in the world. I came across these two mating while in Ariston Elemental Organic Garden last week. It was amazing to see that they also fly when they are mating.

Tillyard claimed to have recorded the Southern Giant Darner flying at nearly 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in a rough field measurement. However, the greatest reliable flight speed records are for other types of insects. In general, large dragonflies like the hawkers have a maximum speed of 10–15 metre per second (22–34 mph) with average cruising speed of about 4.5 metre per second (10 mph).

Dragonflies are important predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, wasps, and very rarely butterflies.

Though dragonflies are predators, they themselves are subject to predation by birds, lizards, frogs, spiders, fish, water bugs, and even other large dragonflies.

To the Japanese, it symbolizes summer and autumn and am admired and respected all over, so much so that the Samurai use it as a symbol of power, agility and best of all, Victory.

In China, people associate the dragonfly with prosperity, harmony and as a good luck charm.
Amongst Native Americans, it is a sign of happiness, speed and purity. Purity because the dragonfly eats from the wind itself.

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7 thoughts on “The fastest flying insect”

Very informative post Brigid. I didn’t know much about dragonflies but I’ve been trying to attract them in my garden along with the butterflies and bees. I also remember my fond memories of them when I was a kid. 🙂

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